Volvo XC90, a diamond cut Swedish sparkler

Published:08:00Saturday 06 September 2014

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THE long wait for a replacement for Volvo’s ageing flagship model the XC90 is finally over with the Swedish firm announcing that the new big Volvo will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October but UK customers will have to wait until next May before they can get one writes Bryan Longworth.

It was in 2003 that Volvo now owned by a Chinese company launched the XC90 which went on to become a very impressive premium quality SUV with famous owners including Doncaster’s Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

The four wheel drive car underwent several facelifts but has been showing its age for some time as much newer rivals have taken sales from the XC90 and Volvo has taken a long time to produce the new XC90.

Now after three years in the making the new premium seven seater is ready and they are initially releasing a limited First Edition of the new car comprising 1927 individually numbered models to celebrate the year Volvo was founded.

And for the first time in their long history they will only be available for sale on line from this month with this special model costing £68,000 - the D5 AWD Momentum will be priced at £45,000 and orders can be placed from next month with deliveries starting next May.

Hakan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Volvo Car Group described the launch of the new XC90 as one of the most important days in the company’s history as they were not just re-launching a car but re-launching the Volvo brand and it paved the way for a portfolio of other exciting new models to follow over the next few years.

The new XC90 will be the first of a new range of Volvo cars to carry the company’s new more prominent iron mark logo which with distinctive daytime running lights represents the new face for Volvo’s forthcoming generation of cars.

There will be a range of 2.0-litre four cylinder Drive-E powertrains and the top of the range XC90 Twin Engine which combines a 2.0-litre four cylinder supercharged and turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor offers an unrivalled combination of power and clean operation with 400bhp and CO2 emissions of around 60g/km.

Volvo cars have always been among the safest in the world but the new XC90 bristles with new technology featuring a world first with automatic braking if the driver turns in front of an oncoming car.

The new car will have the most luxurious interior ever which features a tablet like touch screen centre console forming the heart of an all new in-car control system that is virtually button free and represents a new way for drivers to control their car and access a range of internet based products and services.

Top quality soft leather covers the seats with wood and handcrafted details including a gear lever made of crystal glass from Sweden’s leading glassmaker and diamond cut controls for the start/stop button and volume control.

The all new XC90 has taken three years to produce and is long overdue but it seems that the long wait has been worthwhile and the car will become a benchmark in the premium class segment which has been dominated by the likes of Range Rover and the 4x4s from Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche.